Jeter's pride makes next pact tough  —  The biggest drama of the Yankees' 2007-08 offseason played out publicly and messily with the divorce of Joe Torre.  —  Joe Girardi took over and Brian Cashman felt it was improper to drop another longrunning drama onto the to-do list of a new manager …

Source says Braves made offer to Damon  —  As Spring Training nears, there's more reason to wonder if Johnny Damon will eventually accept what the Braves are willing to offer.  But for now, some insiders still feel like the veteran outfielder will end up signing elsewhere.

Free agent Washburn awaits ‘right offer’  —  Former Mariners southpaw's options include retirement  —  Free-agent left-hander Jarrod Washburn said Wednesday that he is waiting for the “right offer,” is in no hurry to sign a new contract and retiring is an option.  —  “I've never liked Spring Training anyway,” he laughed.

Mets' Daniel Murphy gets help at first base from veteran Keith Hernandez at spring training  —  Keith Hernandez won 11 straight Gold Gloves at first base during his playing career.  And now Hernandez's expertise isn't being limited to television commentary about the first-base foibles of players such as Mike Piazza and Carlos Delgado.

Sources: Wang to choose new club in 7-10 days  —  Chien-Ming Wang, arguably the most intriguing free-agent pitcher still unsigned, will make his decision about which team to sign with in the next week to 10 days, according to sources.  —  Wang  —  A baseball source who has spoken …

Yankees nix the ‘Joba Rules’, but no word yet as to where ace Joba Chamberlain fits in rotation  —  TAMPA - The training wheels are officially off Joba Chamberlain, the “Joba Rules” just a slogan rather than a strict plan to limit the Yankee pitcher's innings.

Mets, Angel Pagan Agree on a 1-yr, $1.45M Deal to Avoid Arbitration  —  Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News reports that the Mets have worked out a deal with outfielder Angel Pagan to avoid salary arbitration.  The deal will pay Pagan $1.45 million for 2010.

Some surprises among this winter's free-agent winners and losers … Heading into the 2009-10 free-agent market, the conventional wisdom was that the three big stars in their prime would get big bucks, and that the vast majority of players in the middle and lower ranks would mostly struggle to land a decent contract.

Wrigley concert lineup: Elton, Billy, Dave Matthews  —  Three nighttime concerts at Wrigley Field apparently aren't too much for the congested Lake View neighborhood to handle, according to the alderman whose ward includes the ballpark.  —  Elton John and Billy Joel and the Dave Matthews Band …

Vick: I ‘settled for mediocrity’ with Falcons  —  A contrite Michael Vick told an Atlanta radio station Wednesday he wishes he had been more dedicated to his craft while quarterbacking the Falcons.  —  It was one of many regrets Vick expressed in the interview with 790 AM The Zone.

Giants' ‘Dynamic’ Pricing System Is Downright Evil  —  The Giants may not be able to afford Barry Zito, but Giants fans on a budget can now only afford to go to his games  —  Let me say it up front and outright: The San Francisco Giants' long-planned move to charge more for more desirable games makes good business sense.

Brewers Top 11 Prospects  —  Four-Star Prospects  —  Three-Star Prospects  —  Two-Star Prospects  —  Four More:  —  12. Mark Rogers, RHP: Rogers' stuff was outstanding after missing two years due to shoulder problems, but can he pitch more than three innings every five days?

Twins Sign Jacque Jones  —  The Twins signed Jacque Jones to a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training, according to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick.  Jones, 35 in April, sat out last season after hitting poorly in 2008.  He hit one homer and posted a .147/.239/.207 line for the Tigers and Marlins that year.